Our Advocacy Services are tailored to meet your individual needs. We provide specialised services to help you when and where you need it most.

Advocacy Services

Generic Advocacy

This service is available to all.

Mental Health

If you are suffering from mental health issues, the law gives you the right to Independent Advocacy whoever or wherever you are in Scotland. Many people find when they feel unwell it is not easy to say what they want, we can help you to be heard.

Self Directed Support

Self-Directed Support (SDS) is an independent advocacy to help people have a stronger voice and have as much control as possible over their lives. Choose from 1 of 4 options and we will help you to plan and get the services you need.

Children & Young People

Children and young people up to 18 years ensures their voices are heard and listened to. We support young people to ask questions regarding their situation and support them to tell people what they really think.

Children’s Hearings

We support young people to help them with their involvement in the Children’s Hearing System and to express their own needs and views.

Learning Disability

Support for individuals or groups with learning disablities.

Why is Independent Advocacy Necessary?

Because people…

Can experience difficulty in expressing their views and feelings
Are often not listened to and have their views and opinions devalued because of their illness / disability
Experience discrimination in many areas of their lives
Can be isolated with little or no support
Can be subject to complex legal processes, which profoundly affect their lives, such as detention under the Mental Health Act
Can often have difficulty in accessing information

We provide Advocacy Services in 3 different ways…

1

One to one Advocacy

One to one Advocacy stands alongside individuals helping them to represent their views, rights and what they believe is in their best interests.

2

Collective / Group Advocacy

Collective / Group Advocacy happens when a group of people who are all facing a common problem come together on a formal basis to support each other over specific issues.

3

Non-instructed Advocacy

Non-instructed Advocacy happens when an individual can not tell their Independent Advocacy Worker what they want and usually takes place with people who have dementia or profound and /or severe learning difficulties. This can be a long process, taking time to get to know the person and significant other in their lives.

Learn more about how the Advocacy process works and what to expect

An Advocacy Worker will:

Listen to your views and opinions without judgement
Help you to speak up and have your views listened to
If needed speak on your behalf
Go to meetings with you
Help you become involved in decisions which affect you
Help you to understand form and letters
Investigate your rights, and help you to understand and uphold your rights
Always be honest with you

Independent Advocacy will not:

Tell you what to do but will help you to find information you need
Will not talk about you without your permission
Give an opinion unless only give their opinion when it is asked for ???
Will not make decision for you

Independence & Confidentiality

Independent advocacy organisations do not provide any other services.
Independent advocacy strives to minimise any conflicts of interest so that Advocacy Workers can work with complete loyalty to their Advocacy Partners (clients) and independent of other agencies, friends or family members.

Whatever you say to your advocate will be protected and maintained within the advocacy service. No outside contact will be made without your consent. There are exceptions to our confidentiality policy. If we think that you or another person are at serious risk or if you give us information about crime, we will have to act on this information. We would normally tell you before we do this and provide you with reason in writing.

“When we do our SMILE work I don’t feel like I have a learning disability, people don’t see our disability, they see you – it makes me feel the same as everyone else.”